Mechanisms for interconnecting a motor vehicle to a trailer have been utilized extensively. Typically, a ball-type hitch is attached to the frame or bumper of a towing vehicle and a corresponding ball-type socket is secured to the trailer frame. The ball-type socket engages the ball-type hitch so described, and a locking mechanism secures the ball-type hitch and ball-type socket together, while still allowing the ball-type hitch and ball-type socket to rotate in relation to one another, thereby allowing the towed vehicle to articulate in relation to the towing vehicle in at least two axes. With relatively lightweight trailers, the afore described system results in a towed/towing vehicle combination which is useful, simple and safe to operate.
However, modern towing vehicles and trailers, operating at highway speeds, often present interesting and difficult vehicle handling problems. Depending on the centers of gravity and centers of aerodynamic pressure associated with the towing and towed vehicles, towed vehicles exhibit a tendency to oscillate or wander, a tendency which can be dangerous at high speeds. Further, vehicle operators typically increasingly demand more load-carrying capability from both towing vehicles and towed vehicles, resulting in much heavier vehicle weights, which in turn impose substantially higher mechanical loads on the vehicles. Because of these increased demands, more specialized, load leveling trailer hitch mechanisms have been developed which serve to more evenly distribute the tongue weight of the trailer over the front and rear axles of the towing vehicle. Further, it has been discovered that converging link configurations for trailer hitches can dramatically improve vehicle and trailer handling at highway speeds, such as those taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,851,696 and 4,811,967.
While load distributing and converging link trailer hitch systems have gained in popularity over recent years, they suffer from certain limitations. First, load distributing and converging link hitch systems are heavy, making it inconvenient to remove components of the towing system from both the towing and the towed vehicles. Further, the systems are complex, requiring the addition of components to or modifications to the trailer tongue or frame. Additionally, because the trailer-towing system is exposed to the weather and to the conditions found on the roadway, the mechanical components of the system become soiled, and it is undesirable to be required to disassemble and reassemble the various components of the system when it is desired to put the system to use.
For these reasons, it is generally preferable to utilize a single receiver assembly attached to or integral with the towing vehicle which can be readily adapted to engage the elements on the tongue of the trailer. Typically, such a receiver is in the form of a rectangular cross-section socket, into which fits a corresponding rectangular cross-sectioned plug, which will be secured to the socket utilizing a bolt and nut, or a pin. In this configuration, almost the entire trailer hitch assembly remains associated with the trailer when the towing vehicle is disconnected.
Unfortunately, such a configuration may allow the forward part of the trailer hitch to sag or droop, making it difficult to align with and reattach to the socket in the towing vehicle. This is particularly true where the spring bar portions of the trailer hitch assembly are secured at their proximal end to the converging link assembly and that their distal end to chains which are suspended from the trailer frame. When spring tension is removed from the spring bars of the trailer hitch, the spring bars are free to swivel, and provide no support to the converging link portion of the trailer hitch.
It has been known to solve this problem by the incorporation of rigid jack elements which attach the distal end of the spring bar to the trailer frame. This allows the tension on the spring bars to be selectively relaxed, and further allows for precise positioning of the distal end of the spring bar in relation to the trailer frame. Unfortunately, this solution is incomplete, particularly when adapted for use on trailers having a so-called V-nose. V-nose trailers have a somewhat arrow-shaped cross-section which serves to streamline the trailer and make the trailer towing operation more fuel-efficient. Current jack systems of the type described protrude into the V-shaped frame of these trailers, creating the potential for interference between the front of the trailer compartment and the jacks.
The present invention overcomes these limitations as will be further described herein.